GINGARO CLEANSES THE SOUL..... (Clearasil Medicated Lotion Daily Cleansing for Sensitive Skin)

Member Name: Gingaro

Product:	Clearasil Medicated Lotion Daily Cleansing for Sensitive Skin
Date:	19/11/07 (133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fragrance that has a kick

Disadvantages: Left my face feeling dry and tight, blackheads continued to grow, synthetic fragrance

I have never been a spotty person, infact my teenage years were spent longing for some acne and blackheads so I could fit in the crowd, but alas it was never to be. In my early twenties however and the introduction of large amounts of alcohol and other toxins into my system lead to sporadic outbreaks of blackheads and this lead me on the path to true facial beauty and the frequent testing of various products. Up until this week I had never had the urge, nor desire to try Clearasil, let alone the Sensitive version, but with my supplies of L’Oreal Skin Renovator and L’Oreal Anti-Tightness Cleansing Gel running low I went in search of Clearasil Sensitive Lotion, the daily cleansing agent.

Actually finding a supermarket that stocked the Sensitive version was tricky. Both my local Asda and Tesco stores had the normal Clearasil lotions but didn’t stock the Sensitive. In the end, I found a supply at my local Boots store and have since seen it in my local Lloyds chemist. Availability I would therefore say is fairly hit and miss affair, as is the variation in retail price with Boots selling it at £3.98 (the price I paid) and Lloyds selling it a whole one pound more at £4.98.

Normally I use L’Oreal Men Expert products as an alternative to soaps and shower gels as I find that they rarely leave my skin dry and with the excellent exfoliating properties remove all the grime that leads to the build up of blackheads. I was pleased to see that the bottle of Clearasil stated that it would cleanse my face of grime and bacteria thus reducing the chances of acne and blackheads.

Unlike the other facial products I use to combat unsightly outbreaks of acne and blackheads instead of just using it in the shower with Clearasil I had to apply the lotion to my face, allow it time to absorb and then use 3 or 4 cotton balls (something I hate doing) to wipe any unabsorbed lotion from my face. As it wasn’t something I could incorporate into my shower routine I wasn’t best pleased that it added precious minutes to my pre-work schedule.

From the mix of heavy ingredients I wasn’t surprised when I first opened the bottle to be greeted by a completely synthetic clinical smell, not too dissimilar to the aroma of an Accident and Emergency department. The smell wasn’t overpowering but again, I prefer my facial products to have a more fresh and natural fragrance so it was rather off putting. On the plus side, a long sniff of this first thing in the morning will have the effect of slapping you awake in a very short space of time.

The first time I used the product (Tuesday) I hadn’t actually used any other facial products for 3-4 days so a few blackheads had started to become noticeable to me on close inspection of my face. Not reading the directions for use or really engaging my brain I poured a liberal amount of the lotion into a cupped hand and splashed it over my face, gently rubbing it in. With hindsight and common sense now firmly engaged I use cotton buds to apply it. With the consistency of water the lotion is easily absorbed and has no tingling or refreshing effect for me personally, something I like when using a cleanser first thing in the morning.

Very skeptical as to whether this lotion would work I was very happy that even after shaving there was no burn when applying, but and this is a large but within an hour of using the lotion my face felt completely dry and rather tight, a feeling that got worse for the first 3 hours after this. Thinking it was my fault for the way I had applied the lotion I continued using the lotion on Wednesday, Thursday and again today, Friday with exactly the same effect. Whilst the clinical smell wasn’t evident to me, my wife just turned her nose up when I first emerged from the bathroom after using it. The feeling of tightness would be worth it though if it removed any of the traces of the blackheads that had started to appear but after 4 days of using it I have to report that they have actually increased in size to the point where before I venture out into the world I will have to use another product to remove any trace of them.

After 4 days of using the Clearasil lotion I would have to sum it up as a total waste of time and a product I will not be using again. Whilst a bottle may last a few weeks with daily and sparing use, the actual cost is the equivalent of a tube of L’Oreal Skin Renovator which as an effective cleansing exfoliator is head and shoulders above Clearasil in terms of effectiveness at combating blackheads, leaves my skin feeling much better, has a nicer fragrance and is much easier to use. Whilst the product may assist with acne prevention (after all none appeared while I used it – but none had appeared before I used it) it isn’t a product for me.

Personally I will be sticking with the L’Oreal Men Expert products and Swisa Dead Sea Facial Peel to keep my face free of blackheads.

NOT RECOMMENDED

Thanks for taking the time to read and rate.


Steve :o)

Summary: One to avoid......